Every piece of organic food you eat had a journey before it arrived on your plate. Have you ever thought about the story behind your food and traced back to where its journey began? The organic food we eat doesn’t just come from the grocery store shelf — it all comes from a farm. As food makers and food eaters it's easy to lose sight of the roots of our food because of our day-to-day disconnect from agriculture.

Organic growers do more than just farm. Incorporating practices that mitigate climate change while providing safe and accessible food for all people, organic farmers are an instrumental element in our food system.

Less than 5% of agriculture land in the United States is managed by organic growers. This may be small, but by no means does their size deprive them of power. In fact, the number of organic farms is growing. More and more farmers are choosing to make the transition to organic, but it is not easy, and they need help. If we want farmers to embrace regenerative practices and a path to certified organic, we must give them tools, because at the end of the day, the decision is a three year long commitment.

Organic farming has no handbook — each farm has needs, circumstances, and risks that are unique to their own production. Surmounting all of the challenges, our organic farms are built on integrity and continually strive to uphold the organic certified seal and supply food makers and food eaters with organic food we can trust. Without our organic farmers, we wouldn't have organic food in our fridge.

Every year the Organic Trade Association and members rally together and advocate for our organic farmers up at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. — sharing stories from on the farm, educating representatives on the needs of the industry, and pushing policies forward to move the organic industry needle. We had the chance to talk to leaders lobbying at the Capitol and hear how we can build agricultural awareness and transparency among our consumers and as companies how we can better support our organic farmers.